Murdoch aide Rebekah Brooks charged in phone-hacking scandal

LONDON: Rebekah Brooks, former editor of Rupert Murdoch-owned News of the World, has been formally charged by the UK's crown prosecution service in the phone-hacking investigation at News International. The 43-year-old Brooks faces three separate allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, an offense which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Brooks' husband Charlie Brooks, her former personal assistant Cheryl Carter, the ex-head of security at News International Mark Hanna, Brooks' ex-chauffeur Paul Edwards and Daryl Jorsling, a member of the firm's security staff, also face charges of obstruction of justice.

A mammoth police investigation is separately underway, along with the independent judicial enquiry led by Lord Justice Leveson, in which over 40 people have been arrested, including David Cameron's former spokesperson Andy Coulson. The fact that Brooks is the first to be charged rather than an obscure staffer, is seen by media analysts an attempt by the police - which are under investigation for alleged bribery-to be seen to be doing their job seriously.

Brooks is known for her meteoric rise in the Murdoch empire, where she went on to become editor of the now defunct News of the World and The Sun and then the chief executive of News International. Rupert Murdoch, she revealed in her deposition, spoke to her almost daily. She also said that prime minister David Cameron frequently messaged her, signing of with "LOL", which he believed to stand for "lots of love".

Brooks was one of the last to resign even after the News of the World had been closed down following allegations that its staffers had hacked into the voicemail of a murdered schoolgirl, Milly Dowler.

She is known to be part of the Chipping Norton set, which included David Cameron, Rupert Murdoch's daughter Elisabeth and her husband, PR guru Mathew Freud.